Israeli Defense Minister: Iran’s Supreme Leader ‘Cannot Continue to Exist’/ Newslooks/ Washington/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israel’s defense minister said Iran’s Supreme Leader “cannot continue to exist” after missile strikes wounded dozens in Beersheba. Global powers including Russia and China condemned Israeli actions. Meanwhile, evacuations continue, and diplomatic talks are set for Geneva.
Israel-Iran Crisis + Quick Looks:
- Israel’s defense minister says Khamenei must be eliminated.
- Missile hits Soroka hospital; at least 40 people wounded.
- Israel confirms strikes on Iran’s Arak nuclear facility.
- Russia and China condemn Israeli actions, urge diplomacy.
- European ministers to meet Iran’s FM in Geneva Friday.
- Iran warns U.S. against direct conflict involvement.
- IAEA confirms no radiological risk from Arak reactor strike.
- China and Iraq call for restraint; U.K. deploys jets.
- Hezbollah, Iraqi militias issue threats amid rising tensions.
- Over 639 killed in Iran by Israeli strikes, says rights group.
Israeli Defense Minister: Iran’s Supreme Leader ‘Cannot Continue to Exist’
Deep Look
In the most explicit threat of the conflict to date, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared Thursday that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “cannot continue to exist,” following a wave of Iranian missile attacks that damaged Israel’s main hospital in the south and injured at least 40 people.
Speaking after the strike on Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, Katz condemned Khamenei for orchestrating Israel’s destruction.
“The IDF has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist,” Katz said.
The escalation follows an Israeli airstrike on Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, a key nuclear facility. Israel released footage of the strike, showing an explosion on the reactor’s dome. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that the reactor was not operational and posed no radiological threat at the time of the attack.
Meanwhile, Russia and China strongly condemned Israeli attacks. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping called for diplomatic solutions, agreeing that the Iranian nuclear issue cannot be solved through force. China further expressed willingness to mediate peace talks.
Amid the crisis, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will meet European foreign ministers and the EU’s chief diplomat Friday in Geneva. France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed Europe’s readiness to resume negotiations if Iran agrees to roll back its nuclear and missile programs.
In response to Israel’s airstrike campaign, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned the U.S. that direct involvement would escalate the conflict across the region. The U.S. military, meanwhile, has dispersed aircraft at major bases such as Al Udeid in Qatar, in what analysts say is a strategic move to reduce vulnerability.
Trump, while stating he’s not seeking a fight, has kept military options open. “You have to do what you have to do,” he said, hinting at possible U.S. involvement to stop Iran’s nuclear program. He also rejected Russian President Putin’s offer to mediate, telling him to “worry about Russia first.”
Iraq’s top cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, warned that targeting Iran’s leadership could destabilize the entire region. Similarly, Iran-backed Harakat al-Nujaba threatened to strike American citizens if Khamenei is attacked.
International evacuations are underway. Japan has dispatched military aircraft to Djibouti in case airlifts are needed from Iran. China plans bus evacuations from Israel, while Indonesia and Oman are helping their citizens leave both countries.
Iran claims its missile targeted an Israeli military site and blames the hospital blast on a shockwave. Still, Israeli authorities confirmed “extensive damage” at Soroka Medical Center, and patients were seen being wheeled out amid smoke and rubble.
Israel said its strikes have destroyed about two-thirds of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers, though Iranian forces still have over 100 operational systems. Israeli officials said they aim to “severely damage” but not completely destroy Iran’s nuclear program.
Amid calls for peace, Chinese President Xi urged an immediate ceasefire. “The conflict risks spilling into the wider region,” he said. Meanwhile, Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies have voiced support for Tehran but haven’t engaged directly.
With the Geneva talks approaching, global powers hope to prevent further escalation. Yet the rhetoric, troop movements, and retaliatory strikes suggest that the region remains on the edge of a broader, more dangerous confrontation.
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